How To Grill A Juicy Burger On A Gas Grill

Summer has just gone past us but who said you cannot cook burgers or use the grill during the cold months? This post will guide you on how to grill a juicy burger on a gas grill.

One of the most common problems when grilling burgers is the risk of drying out the meat. This is a common occurrence so do not worry if you have cooked dried burgers before.

Here in this post, we will give you the best guide on grilling burgers while maintaining the juices inside it to get a beautiful finish on the meat with juices running down your mouth.

With these guidelines and tips, your hamburgers made at home will be matching the best hamburgers in your favorite restaurant or even go better than those you buy outside.

 

Grilling a burger is not very difficult. However, it requires some information on the grill and the meat itself in order for you to get the finish that you prefer when grilling burgers.

None of us wants that sand-like burger that ruins the taste of the other ingredients. The burger is the best part of the food so you need to cook them perfectly to combine them well.

Knowing the mix of the meat that makes up the burger is important to know the consistency. You also need to know some basics like the temperature or doneness of the meat that you want.

Grilling skills are also important and what’s great is that all of those are here in this post. So make sure to stick around as we guide you to your perfect juicy burgers.

While there are a lot of steps, they are also very easy so do not get overwhelmed. Let us start with the meat that you are going to use when making the burgers.

 

Which Part Of The Beef Do I Use For My Burgers?

The first step in making a juicy burger is to select the right meat for making the burgers. Ground beef, specifically the chuck, is the most common cut of meat for perfect burgers.

One thing you should keep in mind is to always put some fats in it. The fats function as the binding material and the one that gives some juiciness to it as well so keep them there.

A 15-percent fat ratio will be enough to create a juicy burger. If after you cook a burger with a 15-percent fat ratio and it is still dry, you can go higher with 20 percent but no more than that.

Beef is not very fatty meat so you might find it hard to look for the right fats. So you can go with pork as well for the fats and combine it with the beef when making the burgers.

 

The fats from the meat of pork are tasty so they are perfect for grilling. It will also give your burger a unique and meatier taste when combined with the meat from the cattle.

 

What Is The Binding Material For The Burger?

You might find it hard to shape the burgers the way you like it and so you have been asking this question along with many people from all over the world when grilling.

To be frank with you, you do not need anything to bind the meat. The combination of lean meat and enough fats will hold the burger together without adding any other ingredient.

A perfect burger should taste like meat and nothing else. Fresh meat and fats when they are ground will give enough stickiness for the burger to hold its shape when cooked.

One way to keep the shape of the burgers before cooking is to chill them. Refrigerate them to keep the meat intact and bring them out right before you grill them.

 

What Temperature Should I Cook My Burgers On?

Now, this is a pretty easy question. Burgers do not need too much heat and neither do they cook perfectly when they are exposed over direct flames or the lack of it as well.

You just need to find the right balance where the heat is not too much for the outer parts of the burger to burn and not too low that the burgers do not have sear marks on the outside.

The recommended temperature for grilling burgers is either medium or high heat. If your grill does not have this indication, you can go for 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is not too hot but also not too low of a temperature to cook the burgers in. It will be able to cook the burgers all the way in the middle without burning the outer parts.

You can monitor the temperature of the gill if it has a built-in thermometer or simply, purchase a laser thermometer to always keep the temperature on track.

 

How Long Do You Cook Burgers On A Gas Grill?

The key to measuring the time when cooking burgers is their internal temperature. The longevity will depend on the doneness that you prefer the burgers to be.

For rare doneness, the burgers usually cook under high heat for 5 minutes. This is pretty fast and it is not recommended especially if your burger patties were frozen beforehand.

Medium-rare meat can go for 7 minutes in total and medium doneness is usually reached if you cook the burgers for up to 10 minutes in the grill.

One thing that you should keep in mind when it comes to time is when to flip the burgers. This is an important tip because most people ruin their burgers by flipping them far too often.

Wait for at least 3 minutes before flipping the burgers. By the three-minute mark, the bottom of the burgers should have been cooked well enough for them not to crumble.

So make sure that you let them cook first before actually flipping them. You should only flip a burger once to keep its shape and to cook it evenly on the grill.

 

What Temperature Should The Burgers Get To?

Another sign that gives off the doneness of the burgers is their temperature. This is more accurate than timing the doneness of the meat and it is safer as well.

So if you really love cooking burgers or meat, in general, we suggest that you invest in an instant-read thermometer or meat probe to use in steaks, burgers, smoked meats, and more.

The safe temperature for burgers to be cooked in is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. While this means that the meat is well-done, it is the safest temperature, especially for frozen burgers.

If you made your burger patties yourself and you cook them right away, then the burgers can go for lower temperatures such as 145 degrees Fahrenheit for medium doneness.

Just keep in mind that the burgers should cook all the way through when grilled. Measure the temperature by putting the meat probe in the middle of the burger.

The middle part of the burger patties should be the part where it is coldest. So measure that part to know if the burgers are really cooked all the way through.

Here Are Some Tips When Grilling Burgers For A Juicy Finish

These are general tips that you can do for any doneness that you want. However, if you really want the burgers to be juicy, you should follow these tips.

Keep The Lid Down

Grilling burgers will produce a lot of juices that will drip onto the firebox. Whether you are using a gas grill, charcoal, or wood-fired grill, you should prevent flare-ups from happening.

Well, sometimes flare-ups can happen no matter what but you need to keep them in check. Flare-ups cause burnt edges and outer parts, especially for burgers.

Keeping the lid down will prevent the grill chamber from garnering too much oxygen, therefore, there would not be too much flare-up so the burgers are cooked evenly.

Closing the lid while the burgers are cooking will also give a more consistent and even heat. This way, you can keep track of the time to know the doneness of the burgers inside the grill.

 

Push The Burger 

If you have shaped the burgers fresh from grinding, you can push the middle down with your finger to create a small dent. Do not push all the way through, just a dent will be enough.

This way, your burger will be grilling without bulging too much. You get to keep the shape and the flat surface of the burger and without too much juice escaping from it.

However, you should do this before refrigerating the patties. Never ever push the burgers when they are cooking as you will only be squeezing the juices out.

 

Conclusion

So as you can see, making juicy burgers on your gas grill is not very difficult. All you need are the right tools and techniques to make the burgers and when cooking them.

Always remember to measure the temperature to make sure that the meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature. Do not rely on time alone as the burgers might not be cooked all the way through.

Brush some olive oil on the burgers before putting them on the grill to create a searing sensation on the burgers while also protecting them from burning from flare-ups.

Letting the burgers rest after grilling them is also important. This will let them cook more without needing flames or heat so they keep all the juices in when rested.

Finally, get the freshest ingredients from the market like vegetables and sauces to mix it with your juicy burgers so you can get the best hamburgers at home!

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